How to celebrate Christmas in the city according to Hongkongers

Hong Kong has been known for being a food paradise, so it doesn’t come as much of a surprise to see most of you opting to spend your Christmas eating and drinking to your heart’s content. Plus, who wouldn’t take advantage of the glorious array of festive lunch and dinners on offer right now? Even for those who prefer to stay home, our city’s many food delivery services will have you covered. To get everyone into the festive spirit, there are now plenty of alcohol and cocktail delivery options available too. Oh, and kudos to one of our readers who wrote to us that they’d be drinking Corona beer to celebrate this season… ha ha, very funny.

Not being able to travel may have been a nightmare for most of us, but it can also be a blessing in disguise, as we get to spend more time with our family – or at least for those of us fortunate enough to have our loved ones here in the city. From going to Christmas markets to buying gifts for the kids, and putting up Christmas decorations together, let’s take this opportunity to appreciate those around us.

One of the best ways to express your love and care for someone is to personally make them a gift, which is why workshops tend to be all the rage in Christmas. Although the pandemic has made large-scale workshops impossible this year, some businesses still run private sessions not only to promote their services but also to spread some much-needed joy in the community. One such example would be Angel Cheung's Intime Artisan de Parfum perfume-making workshops. Deciding to move some of her workshops online, Cheung tells us, "My happiness comes from sharing the fun with all perfume lovers, who I know are staying home safe with friends and family," she shares. 

Staycations have definitely been one of Hongkongers’ favourite activities this year, and understandably so. 2020 has been a stressful year, so bookending it with a little getaway in the city is certainly the least you can do for yourself. Apart from wellness packages for you to pamper yourself, those of you with a date can also give these romantic hotels and restaurants a try. Remember to pick up a Christmas present too – don’t say we didn’t remind you!

Whether you’ve been working from home or in the office, staying indoors all day can be rather stuffy and frustrating, especially with such lovely weather outside this season. If you have yet to hop on the hiking bandwagon, make the most out of your holidays by heading to these family-friendly trails, glamping, or picnicking with your loved ones. However, here’s a gentle reminder to heed the current social distancing measures and remember to take care of the environment whilst you’re out and about!

Coming a close second to the amount of answers for dining is (drum roll)... staying home alone. But hey, being alone doesn’t mean you have to feel lonely! We believe there are some great things to do indoors as well, such as curling up on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate while catching up on some reading, watching classic Christmas movies, or bingeing on 100 best Hong Kong movies, ‘The Great British Bake-Off’, and the newest shows on Netflix. Spending some downtime by yourself can also be quite therapeutic, especially if you’ve got some self-care and wellness products to pamper yourself with. Let’s stay safe and recharge ourselves for the year that is to come.